by Caleb Zane
Kaiden nodded. “I do, and I still can’t believe it. Lincoln is a good guy.”
“Not anymore,” Zaphkiel said. “He’s bonded a demon and not any demon. Even I can sense it in him. I don’t have Orlas’s or Desiree’s abilities, but we can sense power. It is there. Reach out.”
Kaiden closed his eyes and was silent for a while. He had to be trying to sense his friend and the talents he had. Desiree hoped he figured out how to do it and realized the danger his friend possessed. Lincoln was a dangerous man, and they couldn’t allow him to go free.
Kaiden sighed. “He might have bonded her, but I can’t kill him.”
“What!” Ai shouted. “You can’t just let him go. We have to kill him. That has been our plan the whole time. Here he is.”
“No,” Kaiden said.
Ai made a move to Lincoln.
Ziva stepped up. “You heard him,” Ziva said. “Don’t kill him.”
Ai sneered. “He’s the villain, and we have to.”
“No,” Ziva said. Her face was stern and fierce. It scared even Desiree. Ziva was loyal to Kaiden and wouldn’t back down.
“Ziva,” Desiree said. “He’s bonded with Lilith.”
Ziva groaned. “Until I see hard evidence, I won’t let you kill him.”
Desiree closed her eyes. They had to find a way to prove it. They had to make Kaiden and Ziva see it.
Muriel was hovering in the air and looked at Ziva. If anyone could make her see reason, it was her angel.
“Let him go,” Muriel said.
Desiree couldn’t believe her ears. “What?” She stared up at the angel. “Why?”
“If he is bonded to Lilith,” Muriel said, “he will have to go to her. Then, we can see them.”
Lincoln appeared scared half to death. “If you kick me out, I’m dead.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Kaiden didn’t know what to do. Lincoln was his best friend before all this started, and he was back in Kaiden’s life, yet the people he trusted the most in the world were telling him that Lincoln was bonded to Lilith. Supposedly, Lincoln was the man he needed to kill.
This wasn’t something that Kaiden could handle. Until now, Kaiden had been sure of his path and what he needed to do. It had been so simple. All he had to do was kill the person who had bonded to Lilith. It had never occurred to Kaiden that he might know the person or even be friends with him or her, even though that had always been a distinct possibility with the timing of it all.
Looking from his friend to his lovers, Kaiden just didn’t know what to do. What Muriel said made a lot of sense, and Lincoln looked truly scared for his life.
It pained Kaiden to even think about killing his friend, and just sending him to his death was a hard thing to handle. Kaiden was the Chosen One. He was destined to save the world and end the war. He had to kill Lilith and return the angels to Heaven and the demons to Hell.
Kaiden had faith that he would achieve his goals. He would send the world back on a path to remove all the devastation the war had made. He would fix it all, even if that meant no more magic. The world and the people would return to normal. There might not be any more XP or levels, and that would be fine with him. The angels and demons had been the reason for all that. Not that Kaiden understood why the world had shifted into a video game-like existence.
Sighing, Kaiden turned to Lincoln. “You’re my oldest friend, but a lot has changed. While I’m not sure who you are bonded to, unless you can have your bond appear now, you have to leave.”
Lincoln stared at them, dumbfounded. “I can’t believe you would send me away.” His old friend had tears running down his face. “I’m only level twenty-two. I’m going to be killed here.”
Kaiden hurt just thinking of that. Being the Chosen one didn’t meant he was immune to pain.
“I’m sorry.” Kaiden looked at his friend. “I have to. Those I trust most have raised points that I can’t ignore.”
Lincoln glared at Desiree and Ai with hatred in his eyes. Never had Kaiden seen his friend so angry. This was a different man than he had known, and Kaiden saw it then.
“Very well,” Lincoln said. “You will regret this.”
He stalked away. Even his gait was that of a different man, one Kaiden didn’t know or trust, one Kaiden wished he hadn’t seen. Things had changed so much, and he hated it. If Lincoln was bonded to Lilith, Kaiden wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He couldn’t kill him.
“You can’t let him go!” Orlas screamed. “You can’t.”
“It’s done,” Kaiden said. “We have to see how it plays out.”
Desiree walked over to Orlas and comforted the demon. “We’ll get Lincoln. We’ll make him pay. The plan will work.”
Orlas thrashed against Zaphkiel, clearly wanting to follow Lincoln into Lostvale and kill him.
Ai was furious. “You just let who we need go.”
Ziva stepped up to her and glared. “Chill out.”
“I will not chill out.” Ai was angry, her body rigid and unmoving. “He was the one we wanted.”
Everyone was angry and knew what to do, but Kaiden felt lost.
“You can’t know that,” Ziva said. “You can’t.”
“I know it,” Orlas said. She was still in the clutches of Zaphkiel.
Satel was standing off with Muriel and Dazielle as was his bond Johnny.
“He might be,” Satel said, “but I’m not getting into this.”
“Nope,” Johnny said. “If you need me to scout the city or whatever, sure, but this? Nope.”
They weren’t any help. None of them were.
“We have to go after him,” Ai said. “Kill him.”
“Muriel is right,” Ziva said. “We can track him, but he can’t know.”
Kaiden didn't like any of it. His best friend was gone. His lovers and new best friends were fighting. He wasn’t sure what to do.
“We let him go,” Kaiden said. “We’ll figure it out.”
Desiree groaned. “You and your eternal optimism. We had the man we needed.”
Ziva glared at her. She was going to take on both Ai and Desiree alone and stand up for Kaiden. It was both adorable and frightening.
“Back the fuck down,” Ziva said. “Kaiden has led us here, and he will lead us out of it.”
“Just like he failed to get the Holy Grail,” Ai said.
Ziva and Desiree glanced at each other. Kaiden almost missed it, so the others most certainly did. Did Ziva and Desiree sneak off while he was frozen and get the grail? That would be just like them.
For once, Kaiden hoped their rebellious side had kicked in, and they had done just that. Hopefully, the Holy Grail was safe in their hands. They hadn’t mentioned it yet. They were probably scared of what Kaiden and Ai would say.
“He’s not perfect.” Ziva was in Ai’s face, her saliva spewing everywhere. It landed on Ai’s face.
That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Ai punched Ziva, sending her flying through the air.
Kaiden rushed over to Ai and held her back. This was not what he expected, and it hurt.
“Stop!” Kaiden shouted.
Everyone turned to the Chosen One.
Power surged through Kaiden. “We are friends.”
“Friends listen to each other,” Desiree said.
“And I did. I listened to Muriel and to you. I wanted Lincoln to stay, but I sent him away so we can figure out if he is who you say he is.”
Desiree nodded. “We can try.”
“Ai,” Kaiden said. She was staring at Ziva, who was just getting up.
“Fine,” Ai said. She didn’t appear to be happy.
“Orlas.” Kaiden walked over to the demon who was still trying to break free. “Please let him go. If Lincoln is bonded to Lilith, we’ll find him again and kill him.”
Kaiden wasn’t sure he’d be able to kill Lincoln if that was the case, but he had to try. he prayed that Lincoln wasn't bonded to Lilith. Kaiden had to have faith his friend wasn’t. I
t would be too cruel for his best friend to be bonded to her, right out of a video game or an anime. That would be too much.
“I’m going to bed,” Kaiden said. “I don’t care how early it is. All I ask is that you stop the fighting. I made a choice, and we have to live with it.”
The group stared at him, shocked by what he said.
“Very well,” Orlas said. “I promise to not go after him. You’ll learn soon enough that he is the one we seek.”
In the distance, Kaiden saw Lincoln arrive at the city. He was greeted by a demon who was too far away for Kaiden to make out. It might not even be Lincoln, but Kaiden was sure it was. The demon was petite but powerful.
Whoever she was, she scared Kaiden, but there was nothing he could do about it. His choice had been made. Kaiden was drained and needed to sleep.
Kaiden went into the tent without dinner and passed out.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Ziva was about to join Kaiden in the tent when a horde of demons surrounded them. In the distance, several trucks were heading toward them to join the demons.
Ziva screamed, “Ambush.”
They were outnumbered twenty to one. There was no way they would be able to fight their way out of this.
Ai was next to Ziva and nodded. Right now, that was all she was going to get, and Ziva was okay with that. They had a fight, and it hurt, but they loved each other and would get past this.
Kaiden sprung from the tent and saw the forces. His face was covered in agony. It hurt Ziva to see him in that much pain. Kaiden had been through a lot today, with Lincoln and now this. Ziva felt for her lover and friend, for them all.
“We can take them,” Satel said.
Johnny was growing in size next to him. “We can.”
Johnny was licking his lips and cracking his knuckles. It was pretty comical to Ziva, and she wished he was right, but there was no way.
“We got this,” Ai said. She always thought they could punch their way out of any ambush.
“You are outnumbered,” a demon said. “Just give up.”
Kaiden was next to Ai. “Never.”
His expression conveyed both angry and fierce determination. Above him, the angels were ready to fight.
Ziva couldn’t believe it. They were really going to try and attack them. This was the most dangerous thing they had ever done and was even stupider than trying to get the Holy Grail.
“She wants them alive,” the demon said. “So be careful, but have some fun too.”
The brawl started just before the other humans arrived. It was an all-out brawl, and Ziva loved it. She enjoyed fighting and excelled at it. The only thing that made her feel more alive was with her loves. This was the next best experience, and she was in her element. Ziva had her blades out and was slices and dicing.
The demons weren’t really killable, but that didn’t stop her from hurting them. Many of them shrieked in pain and darted away. The only way to kill a demon was to use metal forged in the depths of Hell, and she didn’t have that. She could hurt them, annoy them, but killing them required killing their humans.
Johnny was tall. He was stomping on the demons, and laughing his ass off. The man really loved kicking the demons around. Not that it did much since they returned in a blink of an eye.
Kaiden was using his fire sword and mallet. He had both out and was thinning the group around him, but it was a futile effort. They all knew it.
The demons were overpowered, and the humans were lingering in the back and throwing their magic fire and bows at them. A few even had guns and were waving them around.
Thankfully, none of them fired the guns. They had orders to keep them alive. Ziva was both scared by that news and glad to hear it.
Ai was moving around the group in a blur until a demon grabbed her and slammed her into the ground. She wasn’t dead, but the damage was enough to knock her unconscious. She was the first one taken out.
Next was Desiree and then Johnny. Both had been overwhelmed by the demons.
The angels were up in the air watching.
“Fly away,” Kaiden said.
“Kaiden,” Zaphkiel said.
“Do it. Save yourself.”
The three angels, and the two demons who were near fled.
Ziva watched her bond fly away. It hurt to see Muriel leave, but it was the right thing to do.
“Let them go,” a female voice said. “They’ll come back for their precious humans.”
The crowd parted and let a small petite demon approach them. She reminded Ziva of the succubus in her walk, sultry and sexy. She was very pretty and overwhelming.
Next to her was Lincoln. His head hung low, and he followed her like a sad little puppy dog. It was rather dreadful to watch. Kaiden was in pain seeing his friend.
“Lilith,” Kaiden said, sneering.
Ziva had never seen him so angry or with so much intense hatred on his face. He really wanted to kill her and make her pay for what she had done. That was clear. Ziva knew Kaiden all too well.
“The Chosen One,” Lilith said. “So disappointing.”
“I’ll make you pay,” Kaiden said.
Lilith laughed, the sound light and musical. She smirked. “Take them.”
They surrounded them and knocked them both to the ground. Ziva was just barely conscious.
“Leave the car,” Lilith said. “It’s rubbish.”
Ziva was pleased to hear that. It held the Crown of Thorns and the rest of their supplies. Hopefully, it would be there when they got back. At least that had gone their way.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Ai woke in a small damp room with a throbbing headache. Never in her life had her head hurt this much. Since bonding with Dazielle, Ai had healed faster than normal. She couldn’t remember the last time the throbbing was this bad. Not even when she was frozen had she ached like this. That was a different kind of pain.
Looking around the room, she was here with Kaiden, Johnny, Ziva, and Desiree. None of the demons or angels were among the group. That was a relief, but Ai didn’t have much hope.
If they were kidnapped by that many demons, it had surely been Lilith. Being in her clutches was not good. If Lilith had the Crown of Thorns, they were screwed. That would make her even more powerful and deadly.
Ai prayed the demon had left it behind, that she and the others still could get to Hell.
That had to happen. While being captured was not part of the plan, it could work out in their favor. Ai was trying to be as positive as possible.
Kaiden stirred next to her. He groaned. “My head,” he said.
“Mine too,” Ai said.
His eyes opened and went to her. “Ai.” He took her in, all of her, his gaze going up and down. “You don’t look so good.”
She shrugged. “None of us do.”
The fight against the demons had gone poorly, and Ai could see that on them. Each of them had bruises covering their bodies. None made it out unscathed.
The door to the room opened, and Lincoln walked in with a smirk.
Ai thrashed against her chains. She couldn’t break them, and the more she tried, the harder they held her.
“You can’t break free,” Lincoln said. “Those are living chains made from the souls of the dammed.”
Ai didn’t like the sound of that at all. It was no wonder she felt like hell and hated being in this cool damp room. It wasn’t a prison at least, but it wasn’t far from it.
“I can’t believe you,” Kaiden said. He was wrapped in the chains too. “How could you betray me?”
Lincoln laughed. “Betray you? I did no such thing.”
Kaiden narrowed his eyes. “Yes, you did. I’m locked up to the vilest demon in the world.”
Lincoln laughed. “Lilith is the most powerful and amazing demon to walk the lands. Only God and Lucifer are more powerful. Not even Raphael or Michael can beat her.”
That was true, but that didn’t mean she was a good role model, and everyone knew that.
Lincoln snorted. “You really have no clue.”
Kaiden tilted his head. “Then enlighten me, old friend.”
“Lilith has shown me what true enjoyment is. It is enacting one’s will onto others and showing the world how strong you are, how powerful you are. It’s not about having sex or love or peace. Those are for the weak.”
Ai would never believe those things, and she knew that Kaiden wouldn’t either. That was what they were fighting for.
“You have been warped by her.” Kaiden didn’t struggle against the bonds that held him. He just stared at his friend. “You have been damaged. I see that now. I’m sorry. You aren’t my friend.”
Lincoln closed the gap between them and kicked Kaiden in the ribs. “You’re the damaged one, the weak one. You’ll see how great Lilith is.”
“What is she going to do with us?” Ai asked.
Lincoln laughed, a cliché one straight from the evil supervillain in the movies. “Like I’m going to tell you.”
Lincoln left the room.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Kaiden sat in the room and waited for the others to regain consciousness. Ai was in pain and looked like hell. Never had Kaiden seen her in such agony. Her body was covered in bruises, and the chains that held her were hurting her too. They didn’t have the same effect on Kaiden, and he was thankful for that.
Johnny was the next to wake.
“Fuck this,” he said. He was held captive by different bonds than the ones that were hurting Ai. His were white and shimmered. “What are these?”
“Metal bonds that the angels brought from Heaven to hold demons,” Ai said.
“They burn,” Johnny said.
While the man would never be Kaiden’s favorite, he didn’t want Johnny to be in pain.
“I’m sorry,” Kaiden said.
